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Help arrives for California hospitals short on oxygen

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LOS ANGELES (AP) - Hospitals struggling to provide enough oxygen for the sickest coronavirus patients in the Los Angeles area are starting to get help from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Gov. Gavin Newsom's office says crews arrived at some of the aging hospitals Saturday to update oxygen delivery systems.

The collaboration comes as the hospitals struggle to maintain oxygen pressure while treating an unprecedented number of patients with respiratory issues.

Besides the shortage of oxygen, they're also having difficulty keeping up with demand for oxygen tanks for discharged patients to take home.

California started the new year on Friday by reporting a record 585 coronavirus deaths.